Asha Bhosle’s profound grief at RD Burman’s 1994 passing, where she refused to see his body, is recalled, underscoring their deep personal and professional bond. Decades later, the legendary singer has now secured temporary relief from the Bombay High Court in her legal battle against AI platforms for unauthorized use of her voice models.
Asha Bhosle and RD Burman shared a love story as beautiful as their music. Their professional partnership grew into a deep personal bond. Their journey together, however, wasn’t always easy.In his later years, Burman faced struggles as his music lost the recognition it once had. Despite her own success, Asha Bhosle stayed by his side and supported him through the tough times.
RD Burman’s passing
On January 4, 1994, the legendary composer passed away reportedly after two heart attacks, leaving a void in the music world. An excerpt from Ajitabh Memon’s memoir described the painful moment. It mentioned how the veteran singer couldn’t bear to see her husband’s body and refused to enter the room, crying that she wanted to remember him alive. She was quoted saying, “Main uss kamre mein nahin jaaongi. Main usse mara hua nahin dekh sakti. Main usse zinda dekhna chahti hoon.” (“I will not enter that room. I cannot see him dead. I want to remember him alive.”)It was their close friend and neighbour Gulzar who comforted Asha in her grief. Many came to pay their respects, including Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, with Jaya reading verses from the Gita for RD Burman’s soul.
Asha Bhosle takes legal action against AI platforms
Meanwhile, Asha Bhosle has won temporary relief from the Bombay High Court in her case against two US based AI platforms. She claims they used AI to create unauthorized voice models of her singing without permission, which were publicly available and commercially exploited. Her lawyers say this violates her rights and reputation. The court will hear the case in two weeks.
